Retiring and Moving to Vancouver and Southwest Washington is on the Radar of Many Looking for Better:
Early May 2019 Weather in Southwest Washington
Climate!: The Winter of 2018/2019 saw many challenges in most of the USA, with fierce Snow Storms; Wind Storms, Hail Storms; and then the tremendous flooding in the mid-West.
In contrast, Vancouver and Southwest Washington saw just a few weak snow events, leaving from a trace to just a couple of inches that quickly melted away - even though we are located at a latitude slightly more to the North than that of Minneapolis-St. Paul!
Of course we are known as a "Gray Capitol" for good reason - the close proximity to the Pacific Ocean ensures we have skies that are often filled with clouds, with milder temperatures at the ground-level.
By the way - If you are looking to the Puget Sound / Seattle area as an alternative, it has been my experience that SW Washington's Spring comes one to two weeks earlier, and Fall arrives one to two weeks later than in the Puget Sound area. We also have Seven (7) more Cloud-Free days per year!
In contrast, Vancouver and Southwest Washington saw just a few weak snow events, leaving from a trace to just a couple of inches that quickly melted away - even though we are located at a latitude slightly more to the North than that of Minneapolis-St. Paul!
Of course we are known as a "Gray Capitol" for good reason - the close proximity to the Pacific Ocean ensures we have skies that are often filled with clouds, with milder temperatures at the ground-level.
By the way - If you are looking to the Puget Sound / Seattle area as an alternative, it has been my experience that SW Washington's Spring comes one to two weeks earlier, and Fall arrives one to two weeks later than in the Puget Sound area. We also have Seven (7) more Cloud-Free days per year!
White Oak Tree (mature) at Ft. Vancouver Army Barracks May 2019Greenery and Trees! One of the blessings bestowed on this area from the mild winters and adequate moisture is a very green natural environment with an abundance of Trees. The premier evergreen tree our area is known for is the Douglas Fir. This tree's ability to self-propagate rapidly, especially after a fire has ensured it will be commonly seen when you live here. The premier Deciduous tree common to our area is also magnificent, although having trouble maintaining its original territory, is the Garry (White) Oak. The big older Oak trees do not like to be crowded, which means you won't see it so often at least in the urban areas.
Native Dogwood Tree (mature) - Ft. Vancouver Army Barracks May 2019Complementing the greenery are the wondrous and colorful flowers that welcome the Spring weather. One of our local favorites are the nearby Tulip Farms, the closest being the Holland-America Farms in Woodland Washington (). To the south the bigger farm in Woodburn Oregon is also a favorite.
Holland America Tulip Farm in Woodland WashingtonRhododendrons are another local favorite that we grow at our home, and see at many other homes around town. (If you want to see a garden with Huge specimens of Rhododendron visit our post on Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden)
Financial / Dollars & Sense: Here I'll briefly hit on three points: 1) No Income Tax; 2) Lower Prices for Homes and Condos; 3) Lower Heating and Cooling fuel-bills.
Washington is one of a handful of States that have no income tax, and in this respect our biggest competitors are Texas, Nevada and Florida. In contrast, just across the Columbia River in Portland Oregon, your retirement income will be exposed to their 9%+ personal income tax if you choose to live there. Washington does have a relatively high sales tax but, that does not apply to most food-items at the grocery store.
Lower Home Sales Prices in this area, relative to Portland and Seattle (or a city in California), have been the norm for decades. Thus, your dollar will go much farther in this locale if you are moving to (or, remaining in) the West Coast.
New Attached Home Sold in a 55+ Community in 2019Lower Heating and Cooling Bills comes in two ways: 1) again this area has a moderate climate giving us Winters that are relatively warmer given the latitude; and Summers that don't require Air Conditioning too often; and 2) relatively Low Electricity Rates that are a result of both the large supply of hydro-power; and the local electric utility is a well-regarded PUD.
If you are interested in seeing what the current inventory of homes in Senior 55+ Active Living communities I've set up a page that covers all of Clark County, and several community-specific pages:
Homes For Sale in Clark County WA Senior 55+ Active Adult Communities
Homes For Sale in Fairway Village Vancouver WA 55+ Active Adult Community
Condos For Sale in Fairway Village Vancouver WA 55+ Active Adult Community
The Villas at Salmon Creek Commons Vancouver WA 55+ Active Adult Community
Whipple Creek Place Ridgefield WA 55+ Active Adult Community
Homes For Sale in Clark County WA Senior 55+ Active Adult Communities
Homes For Sale in Fairway Village Vancouver WA 55+ Active Adult Community
Condos For Sale in Fairway Village Vancouver WA 55+ Active Adult Community
The Villas at Salmon Creek Commons Vancouver WA 55+ Active Adult Community
Whipple Creek Place Ridgefield WA 55+ Active Adult Community
PS - Our Team, especially John Slocum, loves to help Retired and Senior Owners Sell their home. This market is still hot, and now is a great time to call to get started with a Market Valuation for your Vancouver Condominium, and to learn more on how the sales process works in this fast-paced market.
PPS - We also love to help Condominium Buyers! Contact us at your earliest convenience and discuss your interests and timing. We'll be glad to set you up with an Automated Search program in RMLS or, you may visit the Condominiums For Sale in Vancouver WA page at our website, where we have endeavored to make it Easy for you to search by Neighborhood for Condos, with listings for condos from the entire RMLS. Some of the favorite Neighborhood Searches include Condominiums for sale on the Vancouver WA Waterfront; Condominiums for sale in Downtown Vancouver Washington, Vancouver Washington Luxury Condominiums for sale.
The real estate information related to Vancouver Washington in this report (prepared by Vancouver WA Real Estate Listing Broker John Slocum) is meant to provide an overview of only some of the great attributes of this part of Washington State and the Pacific Northwest.
Disclaimer: as with all real estate information, we do our best to provide the best representation at the time the data was acquired. We deem the data and reports reliable but not guaranteed.
Comments(2)